[i] About the Versions of This Song

This tune was performed for the first time on 2015 Dec. 12th&13th at Yokohama Arena. Most lines of the original lyrics are written in English, and I show them in uppercase in the romaji lyric column. There is also the English version of this song. The English lyrics are presented in the description of the official [MV] on YouTube. Except the first two performances and the Japanese edition of "METAL RESISTANCE", the English lyrics are sung both outside and inside Japan.

The THE ONE members' limited edition of "METAL RESISTANCE" includes "THE ONE -Unfinished ver.-" that are arranged with strings and piano. The lyrics of this version are shortened English lyrics (see below). This version was broadcast in NHK's special program of 2016 Apr. 4th, but some parts are overlapped by the narration & the interview.

[ii] The Time Has Come?

The lyrics, especially "kotae" (= answer), are difficult to interpret. This song sounds as if suggesting the end of something & the departure. Some fan said this song should be the last tune of the last concert of BABYMETAL. It may have been written for that purpose, or it may have been written just as a song with such an air. When shall the time come? One year later? Ten years later? Only the three girls know.

THE ONE

Romaji Lyric

English Translation of Japanese Lyric

Notes

NOREASONWHY I CAN'TUNDERSTANDIT.

No reason why I can't understand it.

1

OPENYOURMIND. WECANUNDERSTANDIT.

Open your mind. We can understand it.

PLEASELETMEKNOW. Moshi kotae ga aru nara,

Please let me know. If there is the answer,

2

LETMEKNOW. oshiete hoshii.

Let me know. I want you to tell me about it.

Toki o koete

Beyond the time,

3

bokura wa yuku,

we will advance

mabayui hikari no naka de.

in the dazzling light.

Bokura no koe [ONEFORALL.]

Our voices, [One for All.]

4,5

bokura no yume [ALLFORONE.]

our dreams, [All for One.]

4,5

bokura no ano basho e.

towards that place of ours.

6,7

WEARE THE ONE.

We are THE ONE.

8,A

TOGETHER WE'RETHEONLYONE.

Together We're the only one.

YOUARE THE ONE.

You are THE ONE.

8,A

FOREVER YOU'RETHEONLYONE.

Forever You're the only one.

WEARE THE ONE.

We are THE ONE.

A

TOGETHER WE'RETHEONLYONE.

Together We're the only one.

YOUARE THE ONE.

You are THE ONE.

A

FOREVER YOU'RETHEONLYONE.

Forever You're the only one.

I FEELITNOW. THETIMEHASCOMEFORUS.

I feel it now. The time has come for us.

9

BELIEVEITNOW. IT'STIMETOGETREADY.

Believe it now. It's time to get ready.

9

TELLMEWHY. Moshi owari ga aru nara,

Tell me why. If there is the end,

TELLMEWHY. oshiete hoshii.

Tell me why. I want you to tell me about it.

WESTANDINACIRCLEPIT

We stand in a circle pit

10

SIDEBYSIDE HANDINHAND.

Side by side, Hand in hand.

11,S,MY

WESTANDINACIRCLEPIT.

We stand in a circle pit.

10

RAISEYOURHANDS. [AH]

Raise your hands. [Ah]

Bokura no koe [ONEFORALL.]

Our voices, [One for All.]

bokura no yume [ALLFORONE.]

our dreams, [All for One.]

bokura no ano basho

towards that place of ours,

kanata e.

far in the distance.

[Lalalala lalala lalalalala.]

[Lalalala lalala lalalalala.]

A

WEARE THE ONE.

We are THE ONE.

A

TOGETHER WE'RETHEONLYONE.

Together We're the only one.

YOUARE THE ONE.

You are THE ONE.

A

FOREVER YOU'RETHEONLYONE.

Forever You're the only one.

WEARE THE ONE.

We are THE ONE.

A

WHENEVER WEAREONYOURSIDE.

Whenever We are on your side.

12

YOUARE THE ONE.

You are THE ONE.

A

REMEMBER ALWAYSONYOURSIDE.

Remember Always on your side.

12

WEARE THE ONE.

We are THE ONE.

A

TOGETHER WE'RETHEONLYONE.

Together We're the only one.

YOUARE THE ONE.

You are THE ONE.

A

FOREVER, [AHAHAHAHAH.]

Forever, [ah ah ah ah ah.]

(s)

[Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

[Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

A

Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

A

Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

Lalalala lalala lalalalala.

13,A

Lalalala...]

Lalalala...]

A

Notes

The line marked with "S,MY" is sung by SU-METAL (the former half) and by MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL (the latter half). The enclosed phrase [---] marked with "(s)" is sung by SU-METAL.
The lines marked with "A" are sung by all three members in live performances. In the studio take, I think I hear only MOAMETAL's & YUIMETAL's voice, but I'm not sure. In Unfinished version (see below), only MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL sing these lines. (Added on 2017 Mar. 31.)

That is "There is no reason why I can't..." (revised on 2016 Mar. 31).

If foreign language phrases/sentences are contained in Japanese songs, they are often treated as parentheticals and the Japanese sentences continue jumping over them. In these cases, "If there is the answer/end, I want you to tell me about it".

This "toki" (= the time) probably means not some point of time but the passage of time.

There are just two noun phrases on these lines, and there are no hints as to how they are or what happen with them. Each listener can only fancy uncertain images of them individually. Japanese songs often contain such lines.
In English ver., these lines are complemented with "This is..." (added on 2016 Mar. 31).

At first I thought I heard four notes [we/you are the one(?)], but Kouichi Yamanaka san on 2015 Dec. 24 suggested that they are [one for all] & [all for one]. I've found there are just three notes and agree to his suggestion.

Since there is the particle "e" (= towards) at the end, this line probably implies "we will advance...".
In English ver., this line is complemented with "Please take us (to...)" (added on 2016 Mar. 31).

It has a nuance of "our place which we/you all know". In general, "ano" (= that) is used on the assumption that the listeners can determine what is referred to.
In English ver., it is "(to) the land of dreams" (added on 2016 Mar. 31).

I think that all "we" and "bokura" (= we) of this song (except "we are on your side" near the ending) are inclusive (i.e. including "I", "you" & everyone who supports BABYMETAL). If so, however, I don't know well how I should interpret "You are the (only) one".

I thought I heard "But leave it" (in bootlegs) but it is "Believe it". Each "it" probably refers to the succeeding sentence, but both "it" may refer to something that is not told in these lyrics. (Revised on 2016 Mar. 31.)

I think I hear "Stand in the circle pit" (in the 2nd album), but the official lyrics are "We stand in a circle pit" (added on 2016 Apr. 4).

I thought I heard four notes "Stand in the pit" (in the 2nd album), but the official Japanese lyrics are "Hand in hand", and English lyrics on the official MV lack this phrase. After all, they seem to sing four notes "Hand in hand ?i?". (Revised on 2016 Mar. 31. & on 2017 Mar. 31.)

On 2015 Dec. 13th, these two lines were not sung and the preceding two lines were repeated.

On 2015 Dec. 13th, this line was repeated many many times.

THE ONE (Unfinished ver.)

No reason why I can't understand it.
Open your mind. We can understand it.
Please let me know If you know this is the end of the world.
Let me know If you know the truth.

This is our song.
This is our dream.
Please take us to the land of dreams.

We are THE ONE. (MY)
We are the only one.
You are THE ONE. (MY)
You are the only one.
We are THE ONE. (MY)
We are the only one.
You are THE ONE. (MY)
You are the only one.

We are THE ONE. (MY)
We are the only one.
You are THE ONE. (MY)
You are the only one.
We are THE ONE. (MY)
We are the only one.
You are THE ONE. (MY)

If the English lyrics are true (enough) to the Japanese lyrics, I will replace my translation with them. Sometimes, however, the English lyrics of Japanese songs are quite different from the original even when they are written for the original singers to sing in English. If it is the case for this song, I will present the English lyrics in another section. Anyway I will not create another page.

Have you known this? Babymetal Youtube just released a video titled "THE ONE Exclusive Event “Only THE ONE Knows” Digest"

The video mostly describe in Japanese without translation. I think the video is some kind of promotional digest to the new album. Would you mind translating the whole video? I will greatly appreciate it.

I've already viewed it and I think it is not so informative. It is a digest of a premium event, in which only one chosen member (= S-MASAMI METAL) of THE ONE (= the de-facto official fan club) previewed the 2nd album.

Only 2:08-2:58 is the (personal) review of the album. 5. Amore (Blue Star): "By SU-METAL's voice, I can run for 24 hours and fly out into the space." 6. Meta Taro: "Theme song (march) for everybody's hero Meta Taro. Quite new type and amusing." 7. Syncopation (Jpn only): "Do you like syncopation, or not? I like it!" 8. GJ!: "'Good Job!' tune in which YUIMETAL & MOAMETAL say you are No.1." 9. Sis. Anger: "A wonderful tune in which your younger sisters say abuse to you." 11. Tales of the Destinies: "Our destiny never stops or ends until count 0." 12. THE ONE: "With this tune, let's be The One, forever..."

-5:18 seems to be just a trail for him. 5:18- SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, & MOAMETAL appeared and SU-METAL seems to have said something, but no voice can be heard and no information about that.

5:48-6:20 "For the coming battle of Metal Resistance Episode IV, S Masami Metal is charged with the mission to tell the comrades new Metal Resistance. So he has to go EL-DO-RA-DO. There remains little time. Be hurry! Be hurry!"No information about specifically what "EL-DO-RA-DO" refers to and about what he has to do there.

6:32-6:35 is the announcement that there are three editions (1st-press-limited, regular, members'-limited) of the 2nd album. 6:35-6:40 is the announcement that the details of TOKYO DOME concert are to be announced on April 1st. 6:40-6:47 is the announcement that members'-limited concerts are to be held on April 20th & 21st.6:47- is the advertisement "Buy the hood towel to get the membership of THE ONE!"

Probably most (Japanese) fans have no other impression than "I envy S-MASAMI METAL". Reddit members talked about the video in: https://www.reddit.com/r/BABYMETAL/comments/4aud5t/the_one_only_the_one_knows/

There is already an English preview of the album: https://www.reddit.com/r/BABYMETAL/comments/48aajo/metal_resistance_each_preview_description/http://imgur.com/42Gh0hv

You can get more English information (and translation from Japanese) on: https://www.reddit.com/r/BABYMETAL/

First verse I think Su sings "NO reason why, I CAN'T understand it" then "we CAN understand it" on the next line. It's like she's talking to someone saying "I don't know, you don't know, but together, we can work it out" is my understanding of the literal meaning of the lyric.

Second verse I'm fairly sure she sings "The time has come FOR US, BELIEVE it now".

Just what I heard, hope these are of help. I've said it before, you're website is awesome and we really appreciate the hard work you do!

Thank you for comment. I transcribed these lyrics from the audio bootleg of Yokohama Arena. Though the video contains the live concert scenes, the music is the studio version (at least vocal tracks), and the lyrics are certainly different from what were sung at Yokohama Arena. I will revise this article as soon as possible after I get the 2nd album on Mar. 30th or so.